Attaching or detaching device.



No. 648,4I6. Patented May I, I900.

. 4.- c. LAKE.

ATTAGHING OB DETACHING DEVICE.

' (Application filed. Nov. 14, 1899.)

(No Model.)

PATE T OFFICE.

JOHN C. LAKE, OF BIG PRAIRIE, OHIO.

ATTACFIING OR DETACHING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters IPatent No. 648,416, dated May 1,1900.

Application filed November 14,1899. Serial No. 737,006. (No model.) I

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN C. LAKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Big Prairie, in the county of Wayne and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful-1m provements in Harness; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in harness, moreparticularly in detaching devices therefor; and its objects, among otherthings, are to provide a harness having a strong detaching device ofsimple and economical construction, neat in appearance, and effective inoperation, and to provide a simple means for securin g said detachingdevice to the harness.

To these ends the invention consists in the novel constructions andcombinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form ofmy invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a detail view showing thedetaching device applied to a harness. Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof.Fig. 3 is a similar view with the face-plate removed and showing one ofthe hooks removed. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a hookpartially inserted therein. Fig. 5 is a view of the box with the partsremoved.

Referring to said figures by letters of reference, A is the detacher,formed of a boxlike portion B and a cover 0, said box portion being openat the ends and provided at the top with recesses b, for. the purposehere inafter described. In the center of the box, projecting from theinner surface thereof, is a stud B, upon which is mounted a lever D.This lever is provided at the center with a transversely-extending slotD, adapted to receive the stud B, upon which it moves. Near its ends thelever is provided with downwardly-extending toes D and the ends of thelever are rounded, preferably, as shown. Arms or projections E areformed at the top of the lever near each end thereof, and these areadapted to project through the recesses 72 and are provided at theirouter ends with eyes, as E.

Within the box B, below the stud therein and to either side thereof, arestops F, adapted B are longitudinally and transversely extend ing ridgesor projections G G one of which, G is adapted to project into the coilsof a spring G, resting thereagainst. This spring is held between theside wall of the casing and the longitudinal ridge G therein, and theprojection G engaging with the coils, prevents the spring from slippinglongitudi nally. It is obvious that the spring and lover will beretained within the box B by the cover 0, which may be secured theretoby screws or in other suitable manner.

The box and cover are each provided with an upwardly-projecting portionH, upon one of which is formed a stud H, adapted to proj ect through oneend of a strap or I other suitable means, pivotally mounted thereon andalso secured and pivoted at its opposite end to the shaft-tug carrier orback-band J of the harness. A strap I is hung to either side of thehorse, and each is provided with a detacher A at the end thereof, saiddetachers hanging between said back-band and the shaft loops or tugs K.

The rear end of each of the trace-tugs L is provided with a metallichook M, preferably of the construction shown and adapted to be insertedinto the forward end of the detacher, while the forward ends of thetraces N are provided with similar hooks to be inserted into the rearends of the detachers A.

Small straps or cords O are secured to the eyes of arms E of the leverD, and these may, if desired, pass over the back of the horse.

In operation when it is desired to hitch the horse to the vehicle thetrace hooks are pressed into the rear ends of the detachers; This willcause the rear end of each of the levers to rise until the toe of thehook has passed the toe of the lever, when said lever will be forceddown into engagement with the hook by means of a bow-spring P, bearingagainst the upper wall of the casing B and upon the upper edge of thelever near each end. When the hook has been inserted a sufficientdistance, it will compress the coiled spring G, as is obvious. After thetraces have been secured to the detachers, as above ICO - 7 cause therear end of each of the levers to described,v the trace tugs may besecured thereto in a similar manner at the forward,

move upward within the casings, releasing the hooks of the traces, whichhooksawil-l be 10 immediately expelled from the casings by the expansionof the coiled spring G. It is obvious that thetrace-tugsmaybe detachedin a similar manner by pulling up upon the forward arms of the levers D.i s

By pivoting the supporting-straps I the detachers are permitted to hanghorizontally independent of the motions of the horse. It will he'seenthat the lever D does not pivot upon its center when either of the armsthereof are raised, butpivots either upon the hook M' or the stop F nearthe end farthest from the raised arm, the slot in the centerthereofpermitting it to slide upon the central stud B. 3 1

While in the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form ofmyinvention, I do not limit myself thereto,'as I am aware thatmodificationsmay be made therein without; departing from the spirit ofmy invention or.

sacrificing the advantages thereof,and I therefore reserve the right tomake such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

. f Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire'to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1'. Ina detacher for harness the combina tion,with the casing of acentrally-pivoted lever mounted therein, a toe at each end of the leverand hooks adapted to be inserted 4o intosaid casing into engagement withthe toes, said lever adapted to have a limited verticalplay upon itspivot, substantially as described. Y I

-2. In a detacher for harness, the-combina- 1 tially as described. 1

tion, .with,th e casing, of a studtherein, a 5

spring-pressed lever mounted on the stud, and having a centraltransverse -slot through which passes said stud or pivot, and hooks forengagement with'toes of the lever, substan- 3. Ina detacherfor harness'the combination, with the casing, of a centrally-pivoted levermountedtherei-n, toes at theends of the lever, arms projecting from thelever, a spring for normally depressing the lever, and hooksforengagementwith the lever-toes, substant al y a esc i d- 4. Inadetacher the combination, with the casin g, of a stud therein, a leverhaving a slot in the center thereof adapted to receive said stud,l toeson thelever at each end thereof, "upwardly-projecting arms on saidlever, a spring for normally depressing the lever, and means for raisingsaid arms and their levers,

substantially as described.

5. In a-detacher the combination, with the casing, of a stud therein, alever having a slot in the center thereof adapted to receive said stud,toes on the lever at each end thereof,

upwardly-projecting arms on said lever, a spring for normally depressingthe lever, a hook for engagement with a toe of said lever,

means for releasing said lever from the hook and a spring forautomatically ejecting the released hook, substantially as described.

6. The combinatiomwith thesaddle of a harness, of a strap connectedthereto, a detacher pivoted to the lower end of said strap,

a hook se'curedto the end of the'trace, a casing for the hook, and meansfor detaching and automatically ejecting the hook from the casing,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses;1

' r JOHN C. LAKE.

Witnesses:

' MARY Lana.

EMMA BETSON.

